


Choices

by JulesHawke



Category: Mass Effect: Andromeda
Genre: Adult Themes, Character Death, M/M, Romance, hints at sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-07
Updated: 2018-06-07
Packaged: 2019-05-19 04:48:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,808
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14866901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JulesHawke/pseuds/JulesHawke
Summary: Scott Ryder had never expected to find love, to be attracted to someone so fast or so strongly. Then he met Reyes Vidal. Needing an outpost for his people he agreed to help Sloane, fearing the worst and discovering the truth. But the heart knows what the heart wants and who was he to argue.





	Choices

Choices. He might regret the choice he made today. The heavy, unpleasant feeling in Scott’s gut worsened the closer they got to their destination. His hands shook on the controls of the Nomad, but he forced his emotions under control as they came to a stop. He checked his omnitool, still nothing from Reyes.

_This is wrong, something is about to happen and I’m not going to like it._

His instincts were screaming at him to turn around, leave Sloane to her fate. Uncertainty perched on his shoulders, pecking away at his resolve, and Reyes sat at the root of it all. He was sure of it. Putting two and two together from overheard conversations, coincidences and the man’s knack for avoiding questions, all added to orders that the Pathfinder not be hurt – Scott was fairly confident he knew who Sloane would meet today.

He’d messaged Reyes minutes after Sloane had asked for his help but had no response. He could be off planet, hip deep in some smuggling deal somewhere, but Scott doubted it. And it annoyed him.

_‘You look like you’re waiting for someone.’_

His world had upended with those words from that voice. He’d lost all sense of sanity as he accepted a drink, brushing across rough fingers, meeting amused brown eyes and staring at kissable lips lifted in a smile. Never before had he been attracted to a man so quickly and so intensely. It was as if he’d been waiting all his life for Reyes Vidal.

When Reyes had used him as a distraction to find his bottle of whisky he hadn’t known whether to be hurt or angry. But when the moment came to decide on a cover he’d kissed him, without thinking. The look of surprise in Reyes’ eyes quickly turned to hunger and Scott ached for more.

_‘Why did you come to Andromeda?’ He’d asked._

_‘To be someone.’ Reyes had replied and Scott saw the doubt and fear on his face._

_‘You’re someone to me.’_

He’d said it without hesitation and as their lips came together he knew he meant it. He’d fallen hard and he could only hope Reyes felt the same.

In the weeks after they spent every possible moment together, getting to know one another. But it never seemed like enough. Aside from a few kisses and the occasional touch over clothing they hadn’t been physical, even though they both wanted and needed too. A shadow hung over them, holding them back, and once or twice he’d noticed Reyes watching him with fear in his eyes. He knew Reyes kept things from him, he’d had little reason to trust since arriving on the Nexus. _He’s not the only one holding things back._ But they belonged together, he believed that.

Now there was a good chance he would be walking out of this cave alone. Pain shot through his chest, an invisible knife digging in deep. If this all went wrong Reyes could die and the thought had him gasping for breath.

‘Scott, are you all right?’ Liam glanced at him, lines etched into his brow.

‘Yeah,’ he nodded, ‘just have a bad feeling.’

‘Seems strange how Sloane came to you for help,’ Liam’s tone lightened but his voice still sounded worried.

‘You think it’s a trap?’

‘Just watch your back, okay.’

Scott looked to where Sloane waited. ‘I plan on it.’

‘You’re late.’ Sloan scowled at him and walked into the cave.

He really didn’t like her. She was power hungry, arrogant and dangerous. If they ever placed a colony here he worried she would take advantage, hold them to ransom if she could. She made his skin crawl. But they might have to deal with her for the Initiative to survive.

Unless someone took her out of the picture. And it led to the reason why he fought down stomach contents that threatened to rise, why his palms were sweating inside his gloves. He might have to choose a side and with the Charlatan keeping his identity hidden Scott wondered who would be the lesser evil.

The Collective helped doctors and those in need. Sloane punished them for not paying and used their skills to further her own agenda. The Collective appeared to treat people humanely. Sloane openly tortured and beat them. But the Collective worked in secret and secrets could be dangerous.

_But if I’m right about the Charlatan … ._

Sloane stopped and he pulled his thoughts back into focus, glancing around the empty cave. Movement in the shadows caught his eye.

‘You look like you’re waiting for someone.’

Reyes stepped into the light and he couldn’t breathe as a vice tightened around his chest. Their eyes met and the fear in Reyes’ eyes left him shaking. Was he afraid of Scott knowing the truth or afraid of him leaving? He hadn’t expected him to be here, to discover his secret this way. He could hear Sloane talking but her words became a background blur. Scott only had eyes for Reyes.

‘I’m here for the Charlatan not some third rate smuggler,’ Sloane spat.

‘They’re one and the same.’ Scott said, his heart beating in his ears drowned out Sloane’s words.

If he hadn’t known Reyes like he did he would have missed the pain that flashed across his face.

‘All this time you’ve been lying to me.’ The vice tightened even further and Scott forgot about everyone else.

‘Not about everything. You know who I really am.’ _Trust me, believe in me._ Reyes’ unspoken words sent his emotions reeling.

_Could he? Should he?_

Trapped in a nightmare he watched as they circled each other. A one on one fight for control, it sounded like something from one of those old vids his dad used to watch. Last man standing won the day.

‘Pathfinder,’ SAM said on their private channel, ‘there is a sniper hidden above. Sloane is his target.’

The moment had come. Choose. Outcast or Collective. Sloane or Reyes. Love or hate.

A single shot rang out and Sloane collapsed to the floor, a widening pool of red flowing out from her lifeless body. Scott stared at her in mute amazement. Why hadn’t he moved? Why had he allowed Reyes to commit murder? He glanced at Reyes who watched him carefully, waiting to see how he would react. When he said nothing Reyes let out a sigh and gave his men orders.

As Collective soldiers removed the body he and Reyes stood in silence. Had Reyes used him to further his own plans or was the fear in his eyes genuine. Had he been afraid of losing what they had or scared of the Pathfinder taking him in? Why hadn’t he told him?

Questions ran circles in his head and he closed his eyes, taking several deep breaths.

‘Ryder?’ Liam’s hand on his shoulder helped him regain his equilibrium.

‘I’m good. I’ll meet you back at the Tempest.’

Liam went to argue but Jaal touched his arm and nodded. With a last glance at Reyes they both left.

They were alone now. The silence drove him nuts, the heavy and thick air around them smothered him. Staring at each other got them nowhere.

‘Why didn’t you trust me?’ He broke the silence, gave his anger free reign as he paced across the cave floor, ‘What game are you playing Reyes? Were you using me, am I just another tool in your arsenal. I thought we had something.’ He swallowed hard, fighting back tears while throwing a withering glance at the man standing in the centre. ‘You couldn’t tell me. Give me a heads up. Answer my messages.’

‘I turned off my omnitool and you weren’t supposed to be here.’ Reyes stood straight and tall but his voice faltered. ‘Damn it, Scott, I didn’t want you here. I wanted to keep you out of all this.’

He stopped and stared at the man who held his heart and could be about to shatter it into a million pieces. ‘Why?’

‘I liked the way you looked at me. I didn’t want things to change,’ Reyes’ voice cracked and he dropped his eyes to the floor.

Scott gaped. ‘You liked … .’ He ran his hands through his hair. ‘Fuck, Reyes.’ He bent over, resting his hands on his knees, closing his eyes and sucking in air as he fought with raging emotions. He should walk away. He should stay. He should hate the man. He loved him. _I love him_.

Choices. He’d had to make so many since becoming Pathfinder. So many people relied on him to make the right one. But this … this affected him, no-one else. What came after would play out however it may. His choice was simple. Walk away and deal with his broken heart or stay and deal with the consequences and find some happiness for himself.

Reyes moved, his feet scuffing the dirt as he turned to walk away, to walk out of his life.

_Goddamnit!_

‘Nothing’s changed.’ Scott straightened and the shine in Reyes’ eyes made the choice worth it.

His heart soared as Reyes tilted his head, gave him a crooked smile and looked at him from under a raised brow. Moving slowly Reyes walked towards him.

_Fuck, he’s one sexy bastard._

Scott held his breath as Reyes placed his hands on his chest. ‘You have terrible taste in men.’

He laughed and his back hit the cave wall as Reyes kissed him, hard and hungry in his need to have him. With a groan he kissed his way along Reyes’ jaw till his lips were alongside his ear.

‘The worst.’ He grinned and Reyes laughed as he moulded himself against him. ‘Are we going to do this here or do you have somewhere more comfortable?’

‘Why Pathfinder, are you trying to get me into bed?’ He purred, nipping the pulse point on his neck and Scott’s legs threatened to give way.

‘Damn fucking right I am.’

Reyes leaned back and looked into his eyes. ‘I was so afraid of losing you today.’

‘Not going to happen.’ He pulled him in for a long, breathless kiss. ‘Didn’t you say something about getting into bed?’

‘That I did, my love, that I did.’

Scott’s hand trembled as Reyes gripped it, led them from the cave and into his waiting shuttle. He chose to walk into Reyes’ hideaway in the Badlands, chose to remove his armour and stand naked before him and he chose to accept that sometimes there would be secrets between them. As Reyes undressed, allowing himself to be vulnerable before him he held his breath. Reyes slid his hands over his skin, grasped his backside and pulled their hips together, letting out a soft moan as their erections touched. Scott’s arms slid around his neck and they were connected from hip to shoulder. Choices. This one he would never regret.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed my take on that cave scene, I felt it deserved better so I tried. Love to know what you thought. Haven't done much with Andromeda but I have a few fics in the works.


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